


And So Does Malfoy

by zephsomething



Series: Surviving the War [14]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-05
Updated: 2018-04-05
Packaged: 2019-04-18 15:45:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,008
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14216448
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zephsomething/pseuds/zephsomething
Summary: Malfoy meets a girl, or remeets her rather.





	And So Does Malfoy

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry for the wait I've been Very Busy

Malfoy was only at this particular ministry dinner because his aunt was making a speech and his mother had wanted to go. So he got them both tickets and smiled politely at the men who used to be his father’s friends and the women on their arms. These days his father’s legacy felt more like a weight than a boon. According to his aunt that was a good thing.

As his aunt finished her speech about shadows and the things they can do to people everyone in the room stood up from their seats and started to mingle. All of them murmuring about the speech or the foundation or one of the many things Draco didn’t really want to talk about to the people sitting nearest to him. So he got up and wandered off, his mother was already talking to his aunt and he doubted either of them would notice his absence for a while.

He moved towards the bar and ordered a butterbeer at the same time as a small witch beside him ordered a chocolate frog cocktail. He did a double take as he realized who the witch was.

“Greengrass?” He raised an eyebrow and leaned on the bar so he was facing her.

“Malfoy.” She nodded, catching the chocolate frog as it tried to escape from the glass the bartender handed her. She popped it in her mouth as she sized him up. “What brings you to a place like this?”

“My aunt.” He gestured over to where she was currently surrounded with admirers as his mother stood just behind her. “You?”

“My boss didn’t want to come but it would look bad if no one from our department showed up.” She gestured down at her silver and green dress robes. “I got the honors.”

“Subtle.” He smirked slightly and someone gave them a frankly exorbitant amount of space while ordering their drink. “Which department?”

“Muggle Affairs, the new and improved version.” Her grin was as much a challenge as it was pride. An expression he remembered well from their childhoods.

“I imagine your parents are thrilled.” He sipped his butterbeer as she shrugged.

“They’re still stuck in a war they lost.” She flipped her long blond hair over her shoulder. “Daphy doesn’t get it either but at least she doesn’t hold it against me.”

“Well Daphne always was more about finding someone in power to boost you up rather than making your own.”

“She’s figuring out that having your own power works better now.” The expression on her face was nearly coy. “Which is your fault mostly.”

“Really?”

“Well yes, she’d been counting on you getting big and powerful and then suddenly you didn’t.”

“I learned better.” He gave a small shrug. “Realized I’d been believing in the wrong things, seeing power in the wrong places.”

“Glad to hear it.” He smile was almost a true one and Draco felt like he’d won something.

“Draco darling?” His mother’s voice called out and he looked over to see her moving towards them.

“Mother do you remember Astoria Greengrass?” He gestured to her as his mother got close.

“Hello dear, you’ve grown since the last time I saw you.” She smiled rather distractedly at Astoria and Draco could see the worry in her eyes.

“Well I was only eight the last time you saw me.” Astoria raised an eyebrow slightly, amused more than anything.

“Yes well, Draco dear your aunt would like a moment of your time.” She frowned slightly. “There’s a reporter…”

“It’s fine mother.” He put a hand on her arm. “I can handle a few questions. Why don’t you keep Astoria company? She’s got a new job in the Department of Muggle Affairs that might interest you?”

“Yes that sounds nice.” She sank into the seat he’d been leaning against as he gave Astoria a small bow.

“Duty calls.”

“So it seems.” She gestured towards his aunt. “Off you go, I’ll be in touch.”

When he got to his aunt’s side the reporters turned to him instantly and he put on his most charming smile. He answered their questions as well as he could, often simply repeating things his aunt had said to him during their weekly tea and chess dates.

The next day the papers ran the story that was supposed to be about his aunt with a photo of him standing beside her. His charming smile was fixed in place and her eyes were full of pride. ‘A boy trying to be better than his name’ said the Prophet. ‘Young Malfoy pretending his legacy doesn’t exist?’ asked Witch Weekly. Dozens of smaller papers and magazines ran stories that ranged from applauding his aunt for his change of heart to insinuating that he was just the same as his father but with better words. He cut out every article and placed them in a box he’d started with the article about his father turning himself in.

“Oi! Malfoy, open your window.” He jerked up to see Astoria perched on a broom and hovering outside his window. Her hair was in a neat plait down her back and she had a smile that was more challenge than warmth. “Well what are you waiting for?”

He scrambled up and opened it, a question half formed on his tongue, but she beat him to speaking.

“Get your broom and come race me. You used to be half decent on these things.”

“Alright.” He grabbed his broom out of his closet and pulled on a warmer set of robes. “I’ve got a better broom than you though.”

“Maybe but I’m better at flying.” She smirked and he jumped out of his window pulling up to hover beside her. “Though you always flew better when you weren’t distracted by ‘perfect potter and his perfect broom and his messy hair’.”

He sputtered, but before he could come up with an answer she’d already taken off and he had to focus on catching up to her. Which he supposed was an answer in and of itself wasn’t it?

 

**Author's Note:**

> If you like what I do and want to buy me a coffee for it there's a link on my profile


End file.
